This Came Next
by MsRight
Summary: Follows Sizzling Sixteen. A BABE story - if I can't have Ranger, at least I can make sure Steph gets him.  My first try at this so reviews would be appreciated but not if they're going to make me cry...hope you enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: The characters are Janet Evanovich's. I just like to play with them._

"There are some things a man has to find out for himself." I licked my lips again as Morelli unclipped his phone and pager from his belt and tossed them onto the counter behind me. The pink thong floated to the floor when his hands moved toward his belt. I reached out and ran my hands over his T-shirt from his shoulders to his waist. His hands grabbed mine and he pulled me toward him so that I was molded against his hard body. He dropped my hands to reach up and frame my face.

Right when things started to look like I would be singing the Hallelujah Chorus the rest of the night, his phone rang.

"Shit…shit…shit!" I almost could smile at the disgust in his voice.

On shaky legs, I backed away and Morelli snatched the phone off the counter. "What?" As he listened, his face changed and he became a cop again. He closed the phone and grabbed his pager. "I have to go…double homicide on Stark Street" he said and he walked out the front door.

Lula and I were hungry. We spent the last couple of days chasing leads all over Trenton in an effort to track down Andy Snipelli, an FTA who didn't show up for his court appearance. My name is Stephanie Plum and I work for my cousin, Vinnie, as a fugitive apprehension agent. It's my job to track down the miscreants who skip their court appearances which, in turn, threatens Vinnie's bottom line. Between Vinnie's perverted needs and his wife (who makes him pay for those perverted needs by remodeling their home on a regular basis), Vinnie's bottom line needs to be healthy. That's where I come in.

We were sitting in the parking lot at Cluck-in-a-Bucket debating our order when I saw someone cross in front of my car to enter the restaurant.

"Holy cow, that's Snipelli!" I opened the file tucked between the driver's seat and the console and looked at the picture again. Same hair, same face, same 140 pounds stretched onto a 6'1" frame. If ever anyone looked like they needed a bucket of greasy, extra crispy fried chicken with all the fixings, it was Andy Snipelli.

Lula's head snapped around. "Damn, girl, sometimes it's better to be lucky than good, you know what I'm sayin'? How do you want to handle this? Should I shoot him?" She pulled her Glock out of her oversized knock-off Chanel tote and opened the passenger door.

"No shooting! We'll just go in and politely ask him to accompany us to the police station to be rebooked."

"You know that polite shit don't work on these motherfuckers. You need to put a cap in a foot or knee to get them cooperatin' with you." Lula hefted herself out of the car as she tucked the gun back into her bag.

I got out and locked the doors. Thanks to a fee I got for the recovery of a mid-level drug dealer, I was able to buy myself a halfway decent car for once. I was currently the owner of a 2000 Chrysler 300 with a moonroof, tinted windows and leather interior. Of course, you needed to overlook the 124,000 miles that had already been put on the car but I hadn't had any problems and the thing rode like a dream. The best thing of all was that I had the car for six weeks now and it hadn't caught fire, been stolen or spray-painted with any anatomically impossible suggestions.

Lula was striding beside me, girding herself up for the takedown. She was wearing a leopard print spandex mini-skirt and a shirt almost the exact color of her skin with a deep v-neck. The shirt was straining to contain "the girls", who bounced with every step she took. Her bright red high-heel sandals matched the current color of her hair and nails. All in all, she looked exactly like what she was, a former 'ho inching her way to respectability.

We opened the door and the smell of fried chicken engulfed us. There were lines 4 to 5 people deep to the two registers open at the counter. I spied Snipelli a couple of people ahead of me. He seemed anxious and impatient, shifting his weight from foot to foot and craning his neck to monitor the action behind the counter. I smiled apologetically to the woman in front of me and moved closer to my quarry.

"What do you think you're doing? You need to wait in this line like the rest of us and stop trying to butt your way up there." Her voice was like nails on a chalkboard and it echoed off the walls of the restaurant. Every eye turned toward me, including Andy Snipelli's. I saw a glint of recognition cross his face and he moved so that he was facing me.

I lowered my voice and tried to ease closer. "My name is Stephanie…" Before I could finish, he danced to his right and collided with a construction-worker type. A tray of chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy and coleslaw flew up in the air and rained down, mainly on me. The burly guy grabbed Snipelli by his shirt and threw him to me. My feet slid in the mashed potatoes and I landed flat on my back with Snipelli on top of me. I struggled to catch my breath.

Lula came running over, reaching into her tote. The red high-heels were no match for the mess on the floor. She lost her footing and started sliding with one leg up in the air, the leopard print skirt pushed up far enough that God and the rest of Trenton could see the bright yellow thong that almost covered her. Her momentum carried her toward Snipelli and me and I saw her claw at Snipelli's shoulder in an effort to regain her balance. Almost as if in slow motion, both of her legs came out from under her and she landed ass first on my ankle.

The sound of bone breaking and my scream of pain bounced off the walls and sent a shudder through everyone within earshot. The last thing I remember seeing was Andy Snipelli standing over me with a slight smile on his face and a gun in his hand.

"C'mon Babe, talk to me." Ranger's voice penetrated the fog in my brain. I slowly opened my eyes and found myself looking directly into worried dark brown eyes.

"Wha…" My tongue felt thick in my mouth. I tried to lift my head but Ranger gently forced me back. Every movement sent pain thundering through my ankle and, for some reason, through a fire burning in my side.

I tried again, "What happened?"

Ranger's hands were busy pushing my stretchy white T-shirt up my stomach. Involuntarily a whimper escaped my clenched lips.

"Don't move, Babe. Please!" If anyone else had been speaking I would have called the voice panicked but I've known Ranger for a long time and panic wasn't in his vocabulary.

"DAMN IT! Where are the fucking EMTs? Steph, DON'T MOVE!" Ranger was shouting at this point, and he forced me back once again when I tried to sit up. Wow, Ranger was shouting and cursing.

"Damn straight I'm shouting."

Oh, I must have said that out loud. I could feel myself fading away until hands that weren't as gentle began to probe my side.

My eyes popped open. "Omigod, that hurts."

Ranger reached over and grabbed the EMT by his shirt. "Watch what you're doing or you'll answer to me."

The poor guy's eyes just about popped out of his head when he looked into Ranger's fierce face. "I-I-I'm sorry, really. But I need to see how bad this is."

Ranger relaxed his hold and the EMT rocked back on his heels for a second but all too soon he was examining me again.

Ranger's hands started to stroke my hair away from my face in a soothing motion when I noticed the red on his hands. "Is that blood?"

"Babe, just relax, please. Everything is going to be okay."

The combination of the pain and the excessive emotion Ranger was showing started to freak me out. All I could think was I was dying. And if I was dying, Ranger should know that I loved him. That I knew I loved him the instant I saw him walk into my apartment where Edward Scrog was waiting to kill him.

I opened my mouth to say something, hell anything, that would let Ranger know how I felt when a commotion at the doors carried over to us. Ranger raised his head and I saw his eyes narrow slightly so I wasn't surprised when Morelli moved into my sight. He fell to his knees near my head. Even upside down I could see the shock on his face.

"Steph, oh my God, Steph…" His voice died and he just stared into my eyes.

"I'm okay."

I saw him lift his head and look at Ranger, who was still feathering my hair away from my face. For a minute, I didn't think Ranger would even acknowledge Joe was there, he was so focused on me. Finally, Ranger looked back at him.

"Steph's gonna be just fine."

Joe shook his head in disbelief. I heard him mumble to himself but the only words I could make out were "happen someday". He leaned down and kissed my forehead.

"Fuck, I have to go" and with that he jumped up and practically ran out the door.

A gurney appeared next to me and the EMT plunged a needle into my arm. The last thing I saw was Ranger leaning toward me and the last thing I felt was Ranger's lips on mine.

The rhythmic beep-beep-beep was pretty freaking annoying. I reached out to turn my alarm off and roll over to my side but my hands felt only air and moving to my side was impossible. I felt someone take my hand and I struggled to open my eyes.

Grandma Mazur was standing there in a lavender sweatsuit. Unbelievably, there were tears in her eyes.

"Turn that damn alarm off." The harsh sound of my voice startled me.

"Oh, Stephanie, that's not your alarm, honey. Now you hold on and I'm going to go get someone to take a look at you."

Seconds later, a vaguely familiar face stood next to me. I seriously thought I was hallucinating because I could have sworn it was David Sanders, my 11th grade science lab partner and one hell of a stoner back in the day. "David?"

"Hey, Steph, how are you feeling?"

"David Sanders?"

"Yes, Steph, but now its Doctor David Sanders. I've been treating you while you've been here with us."

"Here?"

"At the hospital. Do you remember what brought you here?"

"Ambulance?" Damn, even feeling like shit, I still was a smartass.

David laughed. "Yes, an ambulance. But I meant do you remember your accident?" While he was talking he was methodically examining me, taking my pulse, lifting my eyelids to shine that damn annoying penlight into my eyes.

"Lula fell on me. Andy Snipelli fell on me. Shit, the way I feel, the whole freaking building must have landed on me. "

David's hands were gentle as he reached under my head to adjust my pillow. He looked at me somberly. "You were shot, Steph, and you have a compound fracture of your right ankle. You're going to be out of commission for a while."

I looked past him and saw my parents and my grandmother standing in the doorway. He turned. "You folks can come in for a few minutes but she needs her rest." He squeezed my hand as he started to walk away. "I'll be back a little later but if you need anything before then, push the call button."

My family crowded around me. My mother was the first to speak. "How are you doing, Stephanie?"

"I'm okay, Mom."

And off she went. "You were shot! Shot! Annie Lassiter's daughter never gets shot. Darlene Busson's daughter never gets shot. How do these things always happen to you? What did I do to raise a daughter-?"

My eyelid started twitching.

"Ellen!" The bark of my dad's voice cut her off mid-sentence. He reached out and put his arm around my mother as sobs shook her body.

My skin started to prickle when the smell of Bulgari green shower gel drifted to me. Ranger had slipped into the room and now stood behind my parents. He put a hand on my mother's shoulder and almost instantly the sobs died off.

"Dr. Sanders says Steph needs to get some rest. Can I buy you some coffee in the cafeteria?" Ranger offered in a quiet voice.

Grandma Mazur measured him with her eyes, taking her sweet time about it. "Huh, too bad they don't have something a little stronger than that. Why don't you and me stroll up the street to Cisco's?" She named a local hotspot that opened recently and was the newest place to see and be seen.

Ranger's smile didn't meet his eyes. "Maybe some other time. Now, what about that coffee?" He herded my family toward the door and turned back to me with an indecipherable look on his face. Then he was gone.

It wasn't long until a nurse bustled in with a tray containing a glass of cool water and a small cup containing pills. I swallowed the meds and it wasn't long until weariness overtook me and I drifted off to sleep.

"Babe?"

I turned my head and found Ranger standing at the foot of my bed. He looked exhausted but still good enough to eat. His hair was short again and it fell across his forehead. He reached up to smooth it back as he eased toward me.

Incredibly, I felt a pang of desire shoot low through my belly when he lifted my hand and kissed my palm. He pulled a chair toward the bed with his foot and sat by my head, my hand in his the entire time. He rubbed my hand across his cheek and I felt the stubble in my palm. I eased my thumb out and ran it across his bottom lip and felt a tremble run through him.

So much of my time with Ranger was spent without words that it wasn't uncomfortable in the least to sit quietly, our hands joined. I have no idea how long we remained like that but finally he stirred.

"Are you up to hearing what's been happening?"

I sighed and struggled to sit up a little straighter. Ranger leapt to his feet and supported my back as he arranged the pillows to make me more comfortable. I rested my head against his chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart.

"Andy Snipelli is dead."

I caught my breath at this. I remembered the smile on his face and the gun in his hand but nothing after that. "What happened?"

"Lula shot him."

"Lula shot him? Where is she? Is she okay?" I was more than a little frantic because even though Lula was a pain in my ass sometimes, she was more important to me than I ever let her know.

"She's fine. She's with Tank. Morelli let her go once everyone in the restaurant explained the situation." His eyes locked with mine when he mentioned Joe's name. He went on before I had the chance to say anything, "If it wasn't for Lula, you might not be here, Babe. Snipelli had the gun pointed at down at you and Lula grabbed the Glock and shot him right when he pulled the trigger. Actually, it was a damn good shot."

"How long have I been here?"

"Two days. The longest two fucking days of my entire life."

The raw emotion in his voice shocked me and I quivered in response. Before either of us had the chance to say anything more, there was a knock on the open door and Morelli was standing there.

Ranger stood and that alpha male attitude of his took over when he turned toward Joe.

"Morelli."

"Ranger. Can I have a minute with Steph?" It really wasn't a request and I could tell by the way Ranger stiffened that he didn't like the tone.

Before this drama could play itself out in a way that wouldn't end well, I grabbed Ranger's hand to force him to look at me. "It's fine. I'm fine. I'll talk to him."

Joe moved away from the door as Ranger approached and they brushed against each other in passing. There was something about the way they both hesitated for the slightest microsecond that reminded me of fighters preparing to square off in the ring. My heart jumped in my throat and I tried to lean forward quickly, causing a moan of pain to escape my lips.

They both turned to look at me and I forced myself to smile calmly. Ranger walked out the door and over to the wall facing my room where he leaned impassively. He was not within hearing distance but he could see everything going on where I lay.

Joe came up and reached out to push my hair back from my face. He took the chair where Ranger so recently sat. He looked unsure of himself and I felt my heart skip a beat when I looked into his face.

"Cupcake," his voice broke a little and he cleared his throat. "Steph, I just needed to make sure you were okay."

I looked back at him and my mind returned to the final, flaming argument we had close to three months ago when he gave me the ultimatum that I had to make a choice: him or my job and my relationship with Ranger. The anger I felt then was gone and in its place was a sadness because I knew that our on-again/off-again relationship was finally off for good. I loved Joe and there would always be a piece of my heart that belonged to him, but I knew that I had to live a life that was mine. Sooner or later I would start to resent Joe for making me change who I was and who I wanted to be. The narrow confines of the Burg were stifling enough when I was trying to conform and be the daughter my mother wanted…I knew I could never truly be happy if I tried to force myself to be the housewife Joe was looking for.

My expression must have pretty much said it all because Joe stood up without another word to lean over and kiss me one last time. That final kiss spoke of love and loss and good times and bad and ended with good-bye. His voice cracking, Joe tugged a lock of my hair and said "I'll always be here if you need me." And then he was gone.

Through my tears, I saw Ranger across the hall and the look on his face broke something loose in my heart. Honest to God, as they rolled down my cheeks, I didn't know if my tears were for something I had lost or something I had gained.

"Fuck, this sucks!" Okay, I knew I was whining and I was really trying not to whine but I was being truthful, this recovery really sucked. I was being released from the hospital today but I was going to be wheelchair or bed bound for another couple of weeks at least. I had enough of people poking me and prodding me and stretching me and moving me and I was not a good patient at all.

I was sure the nurses would go dancing in the streets the minute I was out the door. Once I was fully out of the woods, David Sanders seemed to act flirtatiously but lately he had seemed to distance himself I think he was afraid I was going to question him again about how soon I was going to be back to normal and hear me yell when I didn't get the answer I was looking for.

I don't think I would have been able to stay in the hospital for over a week if it wasn't for Ranger and the Merry Men and Lula. It seemed as if someone was by my side from morning until night. And during the night, when visiting hours were over, I often awakened to soft hands stroking me and whispered words of encouragement accompanied by the intoxicating smell of Bulgari. And during those times, when I knew Ranger was there, the nightmares and fears magically melted away and peace would take its place.

Since lying in a hospital bed is very, very boring, I had spent a good portion of most of my days recently trying to figure out the mechanics of sex. I mean, how on earth was I going to seduce Ranger with one ankle in a cast and stitches along my side? And once the stitches were removed, how horrible was the scar going to look? And, to make matters even worse, Ranger saw me everyday with no makeup and my hair resembling one of those tumbling tumbleweeds in the old westerns. I had to wonder if he was even attracted to me anymore by this time. Personally speaking, when I saw myself in the mirror for the first time, I didn't know whether to scream or cry.

Lula was a godsend though. She bullied and bellowed and got my hair washed and my makeup applied and brought me real clothes. Well, almost. The stretchy button-up shirt was probably a size too small and I didn't think a miniskirt was very practical for getting me out of bed, into a wheelchair and out the door of the hospital. And my makeup was a little more…well _more_, than I was used to. But I didn't complain. I would have worn a garbage bag if that was what Lula brought. I owed her my life and if letting her dress me like a high-end hooker made her happy, I could live with that.

Dave Sanders walked through the door. "You remember what I said, right, Steph? You need to take it easy for a couple of weeks with your side. You have to use the wheelchair for now…crutches will cause too much strain on your wound, especially until the stitches are removed. I know that's going to be difficult if half of what I've heard about you is true…" He stopped when I rolled my eyes so far up in my head I'm pretty sure I saw my brain.

"Okay, I warned you. If you overdo it, you'll end up back here and I won't let you leave until you're completely healed." With that, he shook my hand and stepped aside.

At last, I was in the wheelchair and leaving that damn hospital room for good. The nurse pushing me speed-walked through the halls to get me out the door. I never thought Trenton air in August would feel so good but when I was finally on the sidewalk in front of the hospital, neither the heat nor the humidity could daunt my spirits.

A black Lincoln Navigator was sitting at the curb. Hal opened the door to the backseat for me. In the gentlest possible way, he slid his arms under my legs and around my back and effortlessly lifted me from the wheelchair to place me on the seat. Tank had opened the door on the other side and he reached under my arms to pull me back so that I was sitting lengthwise on the seat. Hal averted his eyes when the miniskirt rode up a little too far for my liking. Unfortunately, pulling it down meant stretching forward and the pain in my side shot my modesty in the ass.

"Okay, girl. I'll swing by later to see how you're settling in." Lula wiggled her fingers at me as she walked away.

"How are you doing back there?" Hal asked as he drove away from the hospital.

"I'm fine, Hal." I was getting a little sick of telling everyone I was fine when the truth of the matter was I wanted to scream and curse and hit something. I closed my eyes until an unmistakable smell wafted to my nose.

"STOP!" My shout startled Hal and he slammed on the brakes, causing Tank who was driving in the SUV behind us, to rear-end the Navigator. I slipped off the seat onto the floorboard and when my side bumped the front seat, I couldn't suppress the gasp of pain that escaped my lips.

Quick as anything, Hal jumped out of the driver's side and opened the door to where I was laying. I could tell he was unsure of how to help me up. I was screwed. My body was wedged between the front and rear seats, my broken ankle still rested on the seat where I had been reclining. I could feel a breeze moving between my legs and was resigned to the fact that the miniskirt was probably more like a belt at this point. I tried to use my right arm to leverage myself up but didn't have the strength to do it.

Hal's cell phone rang.

"Yes, Boss?"

Sweat broke out on Hal's forehead as he explained to Ranger that we had been involved in a car accident and that Tank was busy fighting the airbags that had deployed on the SUV. He lowered his voice and turned away but I knew he was describing my predicament to Ranger. Suddenly I heard the sound of sirens and knew that before lunch was over, phones all over the Burg would be in action to describe this latest disaster to my mother.

Tank opened the door by my feet and almost slammed it closed when he got an eyeful of my polka dot panties. Lord, was I grateful that Lula hadn't brought me a thong. Eyes averted, he reached behind me to grab a soft blanket from the cargo area. He silently handed it to me then turned to stand with his back to me, protecting me from the vultures, I mean onlookers, gathering on the sidewalk.

"What happened?"

"Do you see where we are?"

Tank glanced across the street and I heard a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sigh come from him. "Tasty Pastry."

"Do you know how long it's been since I had a doughnut? A Boston Crème or a jelly or a chocolate covered? I really, really, really need a doughnut." Suddenly I realized how stupid that must have sounded but I was beyond caring. "Tank, really"

He shook his head at me and jogged across the street and into the shop.

Carl Constanza peeked through the door at me and burst into laughter. "It was the doughnuts, right?"

"Damn skippy. Now, instead of standing there laughing at me, will you please get me the hell out of here?"

By this time, Carl and Hal were joined by an EMT and a fireman. They walked back and forth around the vehicle trying to determine the best way to dislodge me from between the seats. I felt my skin flush and I knew Ranger was nearby.

"Babe." His voice came from behind me and I tilted my head back to see him standing there with a bemused look on his face. He wrenched the driver's side door open and pressed a lever to move the driver's seat closer to the steering wheel. That extra few inches gave me enough room to rest my hands on the floorboard beside me to try and power myself onto the seat.

Ranger reached in and gathered me to him. He pulled me from the Navigator completely and held me tight to his chest as he walked to the Cayenne and gently settled me into the passenger seat.

Tank came running over with a bag from Tasty Pastry. Ranger stared at the bag for a moment then looked down at me. I blew the air from my cheeks and said defensively, "I'm sorry, okay. I just needed a doughnut."

"I told you, those things are gonna kill you." He walked away to speak with the emergency personnel and Tank squatted beside me.

"I'm going to have an EMT come look at your side, make sure those stitches are okay."

"No! I'm fine, really." Ugh, those words again!

The fire truck and ambulance drove away and the crowd dispersed, having decided that I wasn't going to provide any additional entertainment other than the two smashed vehicles. Yep, it was a slow day for Steph.

Ranger came back to the Cayenne and pulled into traffic. I was so busy sneaking a peek at my doughnuts that it was only after the fact I realized he passed the turn to take me to my apartment.

"Umm, Ranger?"

He looked over at me with his delicious brown eyes and found myself stuttering, "Y-y-you missed the turn to take me home."

"I am taking you home, Babe."

Ah, my man of mystery and few words. "Are you going a different way I don't know about?"

"Nope."

Geez Louise, this was like pulling teeth. I didn't remember ever feeling so unsure with Ranger. I felt like he was examining me, not only physically but mentally. His eyes seemed more probing than they had in the past and it felt as if he had closed himself off from me. I stared out the window and fought the tears moistening my eyes.

"Babe. I'm taking you to RangeMan. You can't go home to that apartment all alone."

"I don't want or need your pity or sympathy. I can live at my place. There's an elevator to get me up and down and I'll only be in the wheelchair a couple more weeks." I was starting to sound mighty bitchy and before I knew it, I had worked myself up into a real state. "Everybody thinks stupid, incompetent Steph…she can't take care of herself. Well, you're all wrong. I don't need anyone!"

The only reason I stopped talking was because the emotions I was feeling had closed my throat. I was crying harder now and Ranger just kept driving, staring straight ahead until we pulled in the garage at RangeMan.

Ranger came around to lift me from the car and I found myself hysterically pounding my fists on his chest. He never backed off or loosened his grip. He simply stood there until all the fight was out of me and then he enfolded me in his arms. He rested his chin on the top of my head until my tears dried up. Gradually, it dawned on me that I was exhausted.

"I'm sorry."

"Nothing to apologize for, Babe. Seems to me you needed that."

He used his knee to push the door closed and headed toward the elevator.

"Wait, did you get my doughnuts?"

A long-suffering sigh was my answer. The elevator doors opened and Ramon stood there.

"Need some help, Boss?"

Ranger relaxed his hold and I slid down his body to rest some of my weight on my good foot. He reached into his pocket, pulled his keys out and remotely unlocked the doors to the Cayenne. "Grab Steph's doughnuts for me."

Ramon headed toward the car and Ranger reached to pick me up. "I can walk" I said with a lift of my chin but he just ignored me and soon I was back in his firm embrace. We entered the apartment and he carried me straight through to the bedroom and placed me on the bed.

Holy shit, my heart was beating a mile a minute. I was hyperventilating at his expression. I tossed my hair back and licked my lips. Somehow, my legs parted and he was standing between them, careful not to bump my cast.

"I don't suppose you have anything more comfortable for me to change into?" Yeah, subtle Steph, that's me.

Ranger leaned down and put a hand on either side of me. He nuzzled my hair and moved down to kiss the pulse beating furiously in my neck.

It was easy to reach out and trail my fingertips down his chest. When he lightly bit my neck, my fingers clenched into fists buried in his t-shirt. A moan worked its way through my parted lips and I cocked my head to the side, giving him the freedom to plant a series of kisses from my jaw to my shoulder. I tried to lay back and pull Ranger down on top of me but he didn't budge.

"Babe, we can't do that."

"Well, I was thinking about, umm, you know, how it would work, and I'm pretty sure between the two of us, we can figure it out."

I reached up to wrap my arms around his neck and my side chose this inopportune time to flare with pain. A different kind of moan escaped from me and Ranger stepped back out of reach. There was a knock on the door and he moved away to answer it. When he came back, he had my Tasty Pastry bag in hand.

"These are some pretty expensive doughnuts."

I felt my face flush with embarrassment. "Oh, God, poor Hal. I swear, I didn't mean to yell so loud but I smelled the doughnuts and I haven't had any decent food in days. Hospital food sucks."

"Speaking of Hal, he's on the way up with your wheelchair. And that must be him" he finished when there was another knock on the door.

As Ranger started to walk away, I called after him "Where's Rex? I haven't seen him in so long."

When Ranger returned, he had Rex's cage in his arms. He sat it on the bedside table and handed me a grape. I tapped the glass and dropped the grape in the shavings. Rex's soft little butt backed out of his soup can. He reared up on his back legs and twitched his whiskers in a sappy hello before he shoved the grape in his cheek and retreated to his can.

"Who has been taking care of him?" I asked.

"Ella mostly. I think she's fallen in love with him."

I reached into my Tasty Pastry bag and pulled out a Boston Crème. I broke a small piece off and dropped it into Rex's cage.

"Babe, you're going to give the little guy sugar shock. I've had him on a healthy diet while you were away. All fruits and vegetables. Hell, he's probably Super Hamster by now."

"Don't you corrupt my poor little hamster."

Ranger gave me his 200-watt smile as he walked toward his closet. He pulled out a black t-shirt and gray, yes _gray_, running shorts. He strolled over to me and fell to his knees between my legs. Very slowly, and without taking his eyes from mine, he started unbuttoning the one-size-too-small shirt I was wearing. Heat pooled everywhere in my body and I quivered under his gaze.

"No fair."

He skimmed the shirt off my shoulders and I shrugged out of it. He grabbed the hem of the miniskirt and I raised my ass off the bed enough for him to slide it off. I sat there before him wearing only a bra, polka dot panties, a bandage on my side and a cast on my leg. Woo hoo – how sexy is that?

I hate bras and I certainly cannot sleep in one. I knew I was close to passing out. The simple activities of my morning wiped me out. Well, okay, maybe the 2-car accident wasn't in a typical person's daily routine but seeing as I was used to the cars around me exploding, it was relatively normal for me. I wanted to eat my doughnut, curl up in Ranger's incredible sheets and let the world fade away.

But back to the bra…I really wanted to put on that soft, worn t-shirt which meant taking off the itchy piece of lace holding my boobs. Why did I hesitate? Ranger made it clear that nothing was going to happen between us and it wasn't like he hadn't seen me naked before so I reached up and unclasped the fastening on the front of the bra. Ranger reached out with one finger and slithered the strap down my arms, first one then the other. Goosebumps skittered across my skin.

Ranger picked up the t-shirt and I raised my arms as high as they could go without pulling the stitches in my side so he could tug it over my head. He worked the shorts up over my cast and stood me up while he pulled them to my waist.

"First time I ever put clothes on you," he whispered in my ear.

I lost my balance and stumbled into him. We were body-to-body, top to bottom. He was soft in all the right places and hard in all the best places. He took a step back and looked at me and I could see that this was going to go no place at all. So I let him lower me to the bed, fluff the pillow under my head tuck the covers in around me. As everything started to fade to black, it dawned on me that I didn't eat my doughnuts.

When I woke up I could tell afternoon had faded to evening. I was snug and secure and I was in pain. The stitches in my side and my ankle were both throbbing. I rolled over and tried to sit up but that caused the skin on my side to pull and I couldn't suppress a cry. Within seconds, I heard the front door open and Ranger came striding in.

"I hurt all over."

Ranger shook two pills into his hand from a bottle on the dresser and brought them to me with a glass of water.

"You should have taken these an hour ago but I didn't want to wake you."

"How did you know I was awake now?"

He pointed, "Camera, babe."

There on the dresser sat a camera pointed directly at the bed. I felt my mouth drop open. "You put a camera in your bedroom?"

"For now. It's hooked up to the building's system so the every member of the team can monitor you."

I looked at the camera and stuck my tongue out. "Turn it off, disconnect it, whatever. I don't want everyone watching me sleep. It's embarrassing."

"That's not going to happen." He handed me a small remote. "This will turn it off while you change or when you need some privacy but I can't always be here with you. This way someone will know if you need help."

I ran my fingers through my hair and looked up at Ranger. "You know what I really want? A shower. An honest-to-God shower. I am so sick of sponge baths. I want to feel water running all over me. I want…"

Ranger grabbed the remote out of my hand and turned the camera off. "Babe. You'll have a riot started downstairs if you keep going on like that. And until those stitches are out, sponge baths are your only option. Something you may not know about me…I give an excellent sponge bath."

With a minimum of unnecessary touching (to my everlasting regret) Ranger got me bathed and dressed in a soft cotton robe. He even washed and brushed my hair and pulled it back into a ponytail. As he helped me out of the bathroom, a delicious smell made my stomach rumble. He sat me in the wheelchair and moved me out to the kitchen. A pot was sitting on the stove and he lifted the lid.

"Looks like beef stew."

I was angled in to the table and Ranger filled two bowls with steaming stew. Small salads and a loaf of warm bread completed the meal. Because I was on medication, I didn't get any wine, but Ranger had a glass and I sipped on an iced tea. We ate in companionable silence. I was hungrier than I thought, hungry enough to eat the salad. Ranger put the dishes in the sink and poured himself a second glass of wine.

"Wow, two glasses of wine. That's not the Ranger I know and lo…" I stuttered to a stop.

He just looked at me for a minute. "Rough day, babe."

In an effort to diffuse the charged atmosphere, I wondered aloud if there was any dessert on the menu. He reached into the refrigerator to pull out the most incredible looking strawberry shortcake for one and sat it in front of me. Heaven help me, I practically drooled at the sight of it. Well, okay, I actually did drool at the sight of it. Ranger gazed at me and gave a quiet laugh.

"That's pretty much how you were looking at me earlier today."

The next few days fell into a pattern…a pattern of boredom and unfulfilled sexual longing. I tried to alleviate the boredom by calling just about everyone I knew and keeping them on the phone for hours on end. I would sit up in bed and amuse myself by making silly faces at the camera. The Merry Men stopped in to see me when they had a few minutes and told me I kept them laughing with my antics. Tank said there was a pool to see how long I would stay in the apartment without making a run for it and he won because he bet on less than 48 hours. Ranger anticipated me and somehow rigged the front door so that each time I opened it, a loud siren went off which brought almost everyone in the building running. A couple of those incidents and I just gave up.

The unfulfilled sexual longing was another story. Ranger kept his distance when we were alone in the apartment, sleeping on the couch and parceling out the responsibility for my baths to Ella. Since I still couldn't shower, I didn't have the option of trying out the massaging shower head. I was just about ready to explode.

But this day was different. I was getting my stitches out. I was loaded in the wheelchair and on the elevator. Ranger stopped at the 5th floor and pushed me out into the hall. Everyone on his team either waited there for me or poked their heads out to wish me luck. When Ranger excused himself to take a telephone call, Tank, Hal, Cal and Ramon kept me entertained. It felt wonderful to see these special guys again and spend time laughing with them. Finally, Tank and I were alone in the dining area and he sat across from me with a big grin on his face.

"I think me and Lula might have a little somethin'-somethin' again now that she got rid of that fairy dress-wearing fireman."

I was happy to hear it. Lula and Tank were both important people to me and I recalled how happy Lula was when they were together.

"We agreed we're not going to talk marriage for a loooong time."

I leaned in and held my arms out for a hug. Tank obliged and followed the hug with a kiss on the cheek. Ranger came into the room and it was time to head to the doctor.

In the garage, Ranger helped me to my feet and I leaned against the Cayenne as he folded the wheelchair for storage. I hated that freaking wheelchair. I spent so much time in the damn thing in the last few days that my ass was sore from sitting on it so much.

"Don't bother putting that wheelchair in the car. Dr. Sanders said once the stitches were out, I could use crutches."

Ranger didn't argue with me, he pushed the wheelchair against the wall and opened the car door for me. I settled myself in and in no time we were at the doctor's office.

I cried when I saw the scar from the bullet wound. It was red and puckered and ugly. When the doctor excused himself to get something, Ranger leaned over and kissed the mark with his soft lips. My stomach flip-flopped.

"You're beautiful, babe."

Ella made an outstanding stuffed red snapper for dinner. Ranger poured us each a glass of white wine as we moved into the living room. I was able to hobble around with the use of a cane Ranger had thoughtfully provided. He turned a baseball game on and we sat side-by-side on the couch, his arm laying behind my shoulders. Every once in a while, his fingers would move lightly in my hair or down the side of my neck. His touch was light but every movement strummed a consuming energy through my body. I turned toward him and licked my lips as I looked up into his face.

His fucking phone rang! Really? I wanted to rip it out of his hands, throw it on the floor and stomp it with my cast until it was in a million tiny pieces. The ends of his mouth turned up very slightly and I knew he was laughing at me. He turned away to walk to the kitchen. When he came back, he had my meds in his hand.

"I have to go. An alarm went off at one of my commercial building accounts. Take these," he instructed. I hit his hand and sent the pills flying.

"I don't want them anymore."

Without saying a word, he shook a fresh dose into his hand and held them out again. The look on his face dared me to knock them onto the floor. Ooohhh, I was so tempted but Ranger looked like he was getting mad and as long as I had known him, he had never been really mad at me. I didn't want to push my luck so I took the damn pills and gulped them down.

"Happy?" Tears of frustration dampened my eyes. Ranger leaned down and kissed the top of my head and headed out the door.

I awoke in the early hours of the morning and found myself wrapped in Ranger's arms. I laid as still as I could, enjoying the feel of his body against mine. His arm tightened around me briefly and I knew he was awake. The growing hardness pressing against me ignited warmth low in my belly. Accidentally on purpose, my hand brushed against him and he gave a little groan. He rolled away from me and walked into the bathroom. He was all muscle and sinew and smooth latte colored skin and he had the best ass I had ever seen. The longer I laid there alone, the madder I got so when he walked back into the bedroom, the frustration burst out of me.

"I can't do this, Ranger. I need to go home."

"Not an option."

"Look, you've made it clear you're not attracted to me anymore and that's okay. But I'm apparently having some serious hormonal issues and sleeping in your bed with you is just a little bit more than I can handle right now."

He came over and sat on the bed next to me.

"Not attracted to you?" and then he did some stuff with his hands and his mouth and his soft words spoken in Spanish that had the little man in the boat pulsating with excitement. With one final intimate kiss down there, the spiraling tension burst in my body and I could have sworn I exploded into a tiny million pieces.

Ranger backed off and I could tell by the way his pants were fitting that I was mistaken when I claimed he was no longer attracted to me. I lazily reached out and cupped the bulge in the front of his pants. His pupils dilated and his eyes glowed obsidian. He took a deep breath. "Babe."

I felt guilty that I was so sated and he appeared to be suffering mightily. I tightened my grasp on him and felt him strain against my hand. Small beads of sweat broke out on his face and I could tell he was struggling to gain control. This was a battle I was determined to win so I snapped the button on his black cargo pants and slid his zipper down.

I barely had time to blink before he had shed all his clothes and stood beside the bed in his full naked glory. I really wanted to enjoy the sight of him but it was apparent I had pushed him to his limit. He climbed onto the bed and carefully positioned himself between my legs. And then…shazam!

A couple days later, I found myself feeling much better so Ranger agreed to take me to my parents' house for dinner. Mom was making a ham and mashed potatoes and, she promised, the best pineapple upside-down cake I had ever eaten. I was really looking forward to the cake. This healthy diet that Ranger lived was playing havoc with my sugar intake. Here's the thing about me and sugar…it keeps my body occupied. When I don't have sugar, I have way too much time to think about the other needs of my body. I was back to trying to satisfy my cravings for sweets with sex, so Ranger spent a lot of time running between the 5th and 7th floors. At this point, even he was ready for me to get some cake.

My mother and Grandma Mazur were waiting at the door when we arrived for dinner. Ranger pulled the crutches from the back seat and walked around to help me out of the SUV. I was new to using crutches and once or twice I lost my balance and almost pitched backwards but Ranger was behind me every step of the way and helped me navigate into the house.

My mom gave me a hug and stepped back to examine me. "You're so thin. Are you eating enough?"

"I eat plenty, Mom. I'm just eating healthier these days."

Oh, Lord, I could smell the pineapple upside-down cake.

Dinner was more celebratory than the usual meal at my mother's house. It was good old-fashioned Burg cooking, which meant it wasn't Ranger's standard fare, but he took it all in stride. I saw my father take Ranger aside and, after a short conversation, reach out to shake his hand. When he first met Ranger, my father didn't know what to think, after all, his daughters had never brought home a man of color. He has no bias against Ranger specifically; he just thinks if you're not Italian, you don't quite measure up.

Grandma Mazur was full of piss and vinegar. I sat down with her to my right and Ranger to my left to try and keep her hands off him. The last time he had dinner at my parents' house, Grandma grabbed his ass when he walked past. Not that I blame her, Ranger has a great ass. But it can be a little disconcerting to be felt up by an eighty-something year old.

"So, are you having lots of sex now that you're living with this hunk?" Grandma asked as the potatoes were being passed around. "I bet he puts that package to real good use, huh?"

My mother crossed herself and looked longingly at the door leading to the kitchen. My father kept shoveling ham in his mouth but I heard a muttered "whack-job" from his end of the table.

Ranger laid his arm along the back of my chair and winked at me. When he turned a genuine smile in her direction, her eyes widened and started fanning herself with her napkin. "Guess that answers that question."

My mother looked at me too innocently when she asked "Have you heard from Joseph lately?"

If looks could kill, she would have been a pile of smoldering ashes across from me. "No, and I don't expect to."

Ranger moved his arm so that it was along my shoulders and leaned forward. "Steph and I are together now and I expect Morelli will honor that."

I was shocked into immobility. Did he really just tell my family that we were "together"? And just what does "together" mean? Ranger told me once that he loved me, but it was a love that came with condoms, not a ring. Not that I wanted to get married or anything, but I did want the emotional commitment that came with being "together" and I remember Ranger telling me that there was no price for what we gave each other, including an emotional one.

Ranger just smiled another one of his killer smiles and the conversation died for a few minutes.

"Lula and I are going to see Sally at Cisco's tonight. Do you want to come along?"

Grandma Mazur's invitation was not normally something that would interest me since I've never been fond of the bar scene but I was bored from my forced idleness and maybe a few hours away from Ranger would give me some space to think. I looked at him.

"Babe."

Okay, so Ranger wasn't interested in going. That didn't mean I couldn't go, right?

I arranged it with Grandma that I would meet Lula and her at Cisco's and Ranger assured my parents that he would put Tank on the job of getting me there and keeping both me and Grandma Mazur safe.

"That Tank, he's another one. Shoot, are all your men stud-muffins?" Grandma asked Ranger.

He assured her that he had never thought of them that way.

Half a cake later, I was stuffed to the gills and feeling sleepy. My mother packed up a bag of leftovers and even included the remaining half of the cake. Ranger carried the bag as he helped me out the door and to the car.

"I need to stop by my place for something to wear tonight," I told Ranger.

Walking into my apartment seemed odd. Staying with Ranger kept me safe and had great side benefits, but it wasn't my home. This little apartment with the horrible orange and brown bathroom was my home. I meandered through the rooms. Try as I might, I couldn't get the mental images of the experiences in this apartment out of my mind…Scrog shooting Ranger in the chest in my living room…me paying my debt to Ranger for helping me catch Eddie DeChooch…Joe arguing with me to quit my job, then coming back to apologize and the make-up sex that followed…Lula tied to the fire escape…smoke billowing from the windows from a firebomb …Rex trapped in his cage with a mean alley cat. I loved here, I cried here, I even killed here. I found myself swallowing heavily against the emotions that rose inside me.

Ranger stood silently until I got myself under control. I went into the bedroom and opened my closet. I was sick of feeling unattractive and frumpy, in nothing but t-shirts and running shorts every day. The Jersey girl in me kicked in and I wanted, no I _needed_, to feel sexy again. Hanging in front of me was a little black dress I had bought to wear to Morelli's cousin's wedding. I chickened out at the last minute and wore something more sedate, but Joe saw it later in a more private setting. Ranger never saw me in the dress so I grabbed it and a pair of strappy sandals, along with my hair gel, hair spray, rollers, make-up kit and anything else I thought I might need for my transformation.

Ranger had to make two trips down to the Cayenne with my belongings. When he came back up to collect me for the ride home, he stopped and stared at me as I stood in the doorway to the bathroom. "First time I ever saw you naked you were cuffed to the shower rod in that room."

I remembered, oh boy, did I remember.

His wicked smile brought a blush to my cheeks. He opened the front door and waited for me to move past him into the hall. He locked the door behind me and we got on the elevator for the ride back to RangeMan.

At almost ten o'clock, I heard the door to the apartment open and I knew Ranger had returned from his office. Soon after we got back to RangeMan, he excused himself to take care of some paperwork and I got to work on transforming myself for my short night on the town with Lula and Grandma Mazur. I took one last look in the mirror. My hair was curled and fell about my shoulders in a calculated disheveled look that was designed to make men wonder what it would look like fanned across a pillow. I took extra care with my make-up and the added layers of mascara made my blue eyes stand out in my face. I was wearing Satin Nights lipstick with a top layer of clear gloss and my lips looked juicy and inviting.

As for the dress, well, it looked hotter than I remembered. I had lost some weight but with my Victoria's Secret wonder bra, the material hugged me in all the right places. The slit up the side and the plunging neckline stopped just short of slutty. My sandals had heels lower than I would have liked but with the cast on, I would have looked ludicrous bobbing up and down each time I took a step.

I opened the bathroom door and stepped out. Ranger was lying on the bed fully dressed with his arms beneath his head and when he saw me…whew! Pure desire transformed his face and he got to his feet slowly. He walked toward me like a lion stalking his prey. A jolt of pure womanly need shot from low in my belly straight to my doodah. I was amazed that I didn't have an orgasm on the spot.

Ranger's hands encircled my waist and pulled me to him. He stared at my lips. He lowered his head and ran the tip of his tongue along the vein on the side of my neck. My knees buckled and I clutched at him to keep my balance. He moved his hands up to my chest and in one simple motion had pushed both dress and bra aside so that my breasts were exposed. He used his thumb and forefinger to pinch my nipples lightly and they hardened into pebbles. He trailed soft kisses over the curves of my breasts. A whimper of need bubbled in my throat.

There was a knock on the door. Ranger sighed heavily and rested his forehead on mine. He tucked my breasts back in my clothes and backed up a step. His eyes swept me from head to toe and there was a hungry possession in his gaze. I had to grab the dresser to keep from collapsing.

"Stay here" he ordered as he walked out of the bedroom and closed the door behind him.

Freed from his fierce stare, I tried to calm my breathing. Holy cow…no one had ever looked at me with such intense lust in my life. If I hadn't promised my grandmother I would meet her and Lula tonight, I would have stripped off my clothes…no, I would have let Ranger strip off my clothes…and tested his legendary self-control.

The door opened and Ranger returned. "Tank is here."

There was still an astonishing amount of heat in his eyes. I swallowed heavily and reached for my cane. I limped toward the door when he reached out and seized my arm.

"I remember telling you once that if you were my woman and you came home without your underwear, we would have a problem. Don't cause me those kinds of problems, Babe."

Cisco's was pretty busy and I was concerned about getting around using a cane. I needn't have worried because Lula pushed her way through and left a wide enough berth behind her for Grandma Mazur and me to move along in her wake. Tank was behind me and occasionally he settled a hand on my shoulder or waist to help me keep my balance. I saw several people do a double-take when they saw Grandma in her red pantsuit and white tennis shoes accompanying Lula, who was wearing a white skintight mini-dress that ended about an inch below her ass.

A young woman wearing a latex body suit that left nothing to the imagination stepped up to Lula. I couldn't hear their conversation but we were directed to a wide flight of steps leading up. Once we reached the top, we were led to small private room with a wide opening on one wall that looked over the stage and dance floor. There were a couple of small couches, two chairs and a table arranged in a comfortable manner.

We placed our order and settled around the table. Sally's band had apparently played their first set and were on a break so we sat back and relaxed. Tank and Lula sat hand-in-hand on the one couch. I was sitting in a chair and had my foot propped up on the second chair. Grandma Mazur refused to sit, instead choosing to stand by the opening overlooking the dance floor and watch the gyrations.

The drinks arrived and I took a sip of my iced tea. When it burned going down, I knew I had a Long Island iced tea, not the non-alcoholic version I requested.

Lula looked relaxed and I didn't want to ruin our evening but I had to ask her about Snipelli. "How are you doing, Lula?"

She didn't pretend to miss my meaning. "Seemed like I knew what I was talking about all those times I threatened to put a cap in some motherfucker's ass, you know what I mean? Then, when I really had to do it, I did it because it was you or him and I damn sure wasn't letting you get shot. But for a while after, it was hard. To know I killed someone was hard."

Tank rubbed Lula's hand.

"I don't know how to thank you, Lula. I just know I'm sitting here because of you. You saved my life."

Lula shook her head as if to free herself from melancholy memories. "Hey, you my girl, Steph. I did what I had to do. I ain't losing any more sleep over it."

We heard applause and whistling and we all rose to our feet and moved to look down on the stage.

Sally stood there holding his guitar. He was in a bustier with ice-cream cone breasts, a black leather miniskirt and platform boots. He was wearing more make-up than me and Lula combined. The band ran through a chord and then Sally grabbed the microphone.

"Hey, Trenton! I have a very special friend in the house tonight so I want to dedicate this next song to her. Say hello, Steph."

Oh, Lord! I looked out the opening and down to the stage and waved at Sally. He pointed up and a spotlight moved to shine on me. I heard several wolf whistles which, I had to admit, made me feel pretty good.

The band launched into "Thunder Road" by Springsteen which was one of my favorite songs ever. I found myself impressed by the band over the course of the forty minute set. When the closing notes of the final song ended, I applauded loudly.

Huh, my drink was gone and a fresh one was in its place. I didn't remember drinking it but I could feel the flush of alcohol working its way through my body so I supposed I must have.

Suddenly, doors burst open all over the bar and police officers came rushing in, holding their badges aloft and guns in their hands. The door to our private room was thrust open and an officer stood there. "Hands where I can see them folks." He used his gun to motion us to move against the wall.

Several minutes later, Morelli walked through the door. I narrowed my eyes at him. "What are you doing here? I thought you were still working in homicide."

"I am. But I still get a million calls when you're involved in anything." I watched his eyes travel the length of my body.

"I am not involved in anything. I came here to see Sally with Lula and Grandma and Tank, that's all."

Joe looked over at my companions. "You're free to go. Steph will be right down."

Lula has a severe allergy to cops so I knew she would be far away in a matter of minutes. "Can you take Grandma home?" I asked her. She agreed and both of them scooted out the door. Tank just crossed his arms and stared at Morelli. I collapsed onto one of the couches since my leg was bothering me after standing for so long.

"I'll be right down, Tank." He didn't look happy as he exited the room and I saw him pull his phone out and put it to his ear.

Morelli sat on the couch next to me, a little closer than I expected. "Darlin', these private rooms are usually reserved for slightly different purposes than a night out with one's granny."

"Really? Like what?"

"Drugs, prostitution, you name it. Vice has had an eye on this place since they opened. I'd let you leave but I have to wonder what you were planning with that dress." His eyes were locked on the plunging V on my chest.

"The dress was for me, Morelli." Ranger stood in the doorway and he didn't look happy.

Oh please, oh please, oh please, don't let Joe say anything else about the dress, I prayed. I had to give him credit, he didn't bat an eyelid. He stood and looked over at Ranger.

"Then you're a lucky guy, Manoso."

"Yes, I am."

Joe looked down at me and held the cane out so I could get to my feet. I took it from him but the iced tea had kicked in and I was floundering. I narrowed my eyes when I saw a slight smile cross his face. Instinctively, he started to hold out his hand to help me but Ranger had already rounded the end of the couch and stood ready to get me on my feet.

"Stay safe, Steph." Joe's voice was serious.

Ranger lifted me completely off my feet and held me tight to his chest. He looked at Joe. "We done here?" but before Joe could answer, Ranger pivoted and carried me out the door.

"You got to Cisco's pretty damn fast."

"Ramon heard about the bust on the scanner." Ranger didn't look over at me. He kept his eyes on the road but I knew he was perturbed by the way his fingers drummed against the steering wheel.

"I don't know what Morelli was doing there." I ventured.

"I do."

I laid my hand on Ranger's leg. I felt him tense for a minute. "It doesn't matter why he was there."

"It matters to me."

"Why?"

"Why do you think?"

Suddenly I was aggravated with this silent, macho bullshit. I snatched my hand off Ranger's leg and turned my head to look out the window. We didn't speak another word to each other during the drive, while we parked or in the elevator ride up to the apartment. Ranger slammed the door behind him and I jumped. Before I could react, he lifted me off my feet, carried me into the bedroom and threw me on the bed.

Still without speaking a word, he shed his clothes until he stood before me, naked and aroused. My mouth was dry and I couldn't swallow. Dear God, he was absolutely amazing. I didn't get the chance to say anything before he moved to kneel between my legs. He took both of my wrists in his and held my hands above my head. With his other hand, he pushed my dress up to my waist and tore my dainty flowered panties so that I was completely exposed to him. In one single move, he plunged himself deep inside me as he bit the side of my neck. Omigod, the things he could do with his hands and his mouth. The mother of all orgasms rolled through my body. Ranger moved slowly at first but soon he was rocking into me with enough force to push me toward the headboard. With one final powerful thrust, he stiffened and then he shuddered and then he let his weight collapse on top of me.

Wow…what was that? Other than the most amazing sexual experience I've ever had, I mean.

"You're my woman now, Babe. Mine. Don't forget that."

I thought about launching into an "I'm my own person I don't belong to anyone speech" but I understood that Ranger's culture was different than mine and that a lot of his attitude was ingrained through his heritage. And, if I was being honest, I had to admit that being Ranger's "woman" wasn't half bad at times like this. So I said nothing at all, I simply reached up and kissed him on his chin and closed my eyes.

During the night, I had to extricate myself from Ranger's arms to take a pain pill. My side and my ankle had gotten more use in one day than every day combined since the day I was injured. When I laid back down, Ranger gathered me close and whispered "I'm sorry". Then he proceeded to make gentle, yet passionate love to me, teasing me until I swore I belonged only to him and begged for release.

I fell asleep smiling because I recalled Ranger telling me once that he might be the one with the weight and the muscle, but I was the one with the power.

I woke up in bed alone. I rolled over, planted my cast on the floor and hauled myself to the bathroom. When I looked in the mirror, I saw a thoroughly satisfied me. I turned my head and discovered an unmistakable bite mark on my neck. It was early September in Trenton and it was too warm for turtlenecks. I used some foundation and was pleased to see that the mark was barely noticeable.

Ella had left some fresh fruit salad in the refrigerator and I had that for breakfast since it was another morning that the doughnut fairy failed to show. Since I was getting around so much better, I decided to head to the 5th floor and ask Ranger if there was something I could do for him that would keep me busy.

I no sooner got off the elevator when Tank walked over to me and took me by the arm to lead me into the dining area. He pulled out a small tape and handed it to me.

"Someone forgot to turn off the camera last night."

I felt my face flame with embarrassment. "Omigod! Who saw this?"

"Only me and only the beginning. Once I realized where things were headed, I turned the monitor off. Unfortunately, everything in the building is recorded to tape so I pulled it out first thing this morning."

Jeez, I could barely look at him. He laughed when he saw my discomfort.

"Girl, don't worry about it. Ain't nobody else gonna see that. But maybe you and the Boss want to check it out later."

Tank looked up when Ranger walked in the room. He slapped Ranger on the back and smirked at the two of us as he walked away.

"What was that all about?"

I handed the tape to Ranger. He knew instantly what had happened but showed no sign of the embarrassment or discomfort I felt, he simply dropped it into his pocket and slid his hand under my elbow to help me to my feet.

We walked into his office and he closed the door behind me. "What are you doing down here? You should be upstairs resting."

"I feel great." I felt my face redden when he gave me an arrogant smile. "Not because of that…well, maybe because of that. Yeesh…I wanted to know if there was something I could do to help you. I'm going crazy up there."

He rested his hand on the back of my neck and pulled me toward him. He gave me a toe-curling kiss. With his thumb, he circled the bite mark on my neck. I was ready to undress right then and there but Ranger reached around and patted me on the ass.

"Go see Ramon. I think there are some computer searches you can run. But don't overdo it. You'll need to be well-rested later." Another of his superior smiles followed me to the door.

I logged a couple of hours on the computer for RangeMan but sitting in that cubicle was still sitting. I wanted to move…walk, run, whatever. I limped through the halls using the cane to get around and visited with Hal and Ramon and Bobby for a few minutes but they had jobs to do and I didn't want to interfere. After a sandwich, but no TastyKakes, damn it, I found myself standing outside Ranger's office. I started to turn the knob when I heard his voice.

"Get rid of it."

He must have been on the telephone because there was a short silence before he spoke again. "I want everyone on this, Tank. There has to be a way to find out who is sending them. I can't keep her here forever so it's a problem that has to be solved now."

I backed up and stumbled down the hall. Obviously, Ranger was only keeping one "her" in this building and it sounded as if he was tiring of it. I got up to the 7th floor and into the apartment, swearing under my breath the entire time. I didn't ask to come here and I wasn't staying where I wasn't wanted. I remembered to turn the camera off, then I pulled out my cell phone and called Lula.

"I need you to pick me up."

"Where are you?"

"Rangeman. But, Lula, this has to be between you and me. Not even Tank can know about this, okay?"

She sounded hesitant, but she agreed.

"Give me thirty minutes then pull across the street from the garage. The camera covers the entrance but that's all so no one will see you. I'll find a way to get down there. Just be ready to go when I get in the car."

She promised she would be there and I hung up.

My plan was pretty simple. I was going to start a fire. Or two.

I chose a place as far from the door to the stairwell as I could get. I found two small metal wastebaskets and filled them with anything I could find that would burn, but more importantly, that would create a lot of smoke. My plan was to sit one on the 5th floor and the other on the 7th floor. That was the one that would get Ranger as far away from where I needed to go as possible.

I found some strong twine and cut two pieces, one about three feet long, the other about two. I lowered them into a bottle of tequila I found unopened in Ranger's kitchen. While they soaked, I made sure I had nothing on me that could contain a tracking device. With a better safe than sorry mindset, I decided to leave in the clothes I was wearing and take nothing else.

I squeezed out all of the excess tequila from the twine. I opened the door to the apartment and eased into the hall. I found a spot away from the elevator at the opposite end of the floor from the stairwell and sat the wastebasket in the corner. I stuck one end of the 3-foot twine down in the wastebasket and let it hang out over the side to trail on the floor. I lit and match and held it to the end on the floor.

I jumped on the elevator and hit the door close button and pressed the five repeatedly. The door opened on the fifth floor. I peeked my head out around the corner and, thankfully, no one was in sight. I went to the same spot away from the stairwell and lit the second fuse. Then I strolled nonchalantly up to the area where Hal was watching the monitors. As soon as I moved behind him, the fire alarms in the building started screaming. I heard footsteps pounding down the hall away from us. Hal turned but before he could say or do anything, I zapped him with a stun gun.

Quick as I could, being as I was in a cast and all, I hopped to the stairwell and started heading down. Hopping was more difficult that I thought, so I rested my ass on the metal handrail and slid down each flight of steps. I burst through the door to the garage and out into the street just as the fire trucks pulled to the curb. I hobbled across the street, jumped in Lula's Firebird and we took off down the street.

"Damn girl, what did you do?"

"I might have started a couple small fires as cover."

"Oh shit. Ranger is going to freak the fuck out. I don't think there is anywhere in Trenton that you're gonna be able to hide. He will track you down and then there's gonna be hell to pay." She looked over at me. "Where am I taking you anyway?"

Damn, I didn't think that far ahead. And she was right, Ranger would move heaven and earth to find me. I started biting my nails when I thought about what would happen when he did.

"Okay. I need someplace he won't think to look. I need someplace Morelli won't think to look."

Lula glanced over at me slouched down in the seat in an attempt to hide from passing cars. "You can't come to my place. If my man ain't at work, he's with me."

"I know, I know…I'm thinking."

A brilliant idea popped into my head. I had her pull over and run into the convenience store. She grabbed the pages of the phone book I requested. I found the name I was looking for and opened her cell phone.

Lula dropped me off at an address on the western edge of the city. I hobbled up the path and rang the bell. Dave Sanders opened the door and smiled out at me.

I woke up in total darkness. I wasn't uncomfortable but I was disoriented and it took me a minute to remember where I was. Then it hit me, I was at Dave's house. When he opened the door to me, he had a welcoming smile on his face. We sat in his kitchen and had a cup of coffee and I explained to him that I couldn't go back to my apartment right away and asked if I could hang out at his house for a day or two. He graciously offered to let me stay as long as I needed. He showed me around and we ended up on the second floor. Suddenly, I felt sick to my stomach and the room started spinning. He clutched my arm and opened the door to a dark bedroom. I vaguely remembered him leading me to the bed and then everything went black.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and my head started pounding. There was a terrible taste in my mouth and all of a sudden, it hit me. I had been drugged! The bitter coffee obviously wasn't Turkish as Dave claimed. I ran my hands over my body and was relieved to find I was fully dressed.

I stood up and it took a minute to regain my equilibrium. The room was so dark, it was as if I was blind. I used my hands to feel to air in front of me as I stumbled about. I found a wall and started walking along it. I finally found a door and the knob turned easily in my hand but when I pulled, it refused to budge. I continued walking the perimeter of the room and came upon a large piece of wood screwed into the wall. I figured it was covering a window and tried to slide my fingertips beneath a corner. When I pulled, all that moved were the two fingernails I broke.

I heard footsteps in the hall, and quickly moved toward the door. It swung open and the beam of a flashlight found the empty bed. Sanders tried to pull the door closed but I slid the cast on my foot against the doorframe, stopping it. He reached in to push me back but I ducked and he lost his balance falling forward. His momentum carried him past me and I slipped behind him into the hall. When he turned around and charged toward me, I put all of my weight behind the cast and swung it up to land a solid kick between his legs. He fell to the floor, clutching his balls.

I slid on my ass down the steps and toward the front door. Before I could open it, it was kicked in from the outside and Ranger stormed in, gun in hand.

He exhaled when he saw me. Sanders ran down the steps behind me and before I could move, grabbed me by the hair. He put his arm around my throat and I saw a large knife in his right hand.

"Stay back or I swear I will cut her throat." His eyes were glowing with madness.

Ranger stepped back and let the gun dangle from his finger. He looked straight into my eyes then glanced to the left. I got the message and let my body go slack. Sanders's arm loosened and I threw myself to the left. Without any hesitation, Ranger raised the gun and pulled the trigger. As Sanders fell, he screamed my name.

I was sitting in the Cayenne and Ranger and Morelli were standing in the yard. I had already given Joe my statement, Ranger was giving his and the Merry Men would need to tell their stories. Lula's Firebird pulled in behind the Cayenne and she ran up to the car.

"Fuck, I just knew some freaky shit was gonna happen. I knew it!"

I couldn't take my eyes from Ranger. He glanced over at me several times and with each glance, I felt more and more trepidation. I looked at Lula and burst into heavy sobs. Lula opened the door and guided my head to her shoulder. Morelli and Ranger looked over at me. I saw Ranger say something and Joe nod his head.

Ranger walked to the Cayenne and looked at me. When Lula tried to back away, I grabbed her arm and kept my head buried in her massive chest, crying like a baby. She patted my hair a couple of times. "Shh, shh, baby girl. It's okay."


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: These characters belong to Janet Evanovich. I just like to play with them.

APOLOGY: I am having a little trouble with the mechanics of publishing. Original was intended to be a two or three chapter complete story. I'm picking up where I inadvertently left off.

P.S. Thanks for the supportive comments. You guys are the best!

_When we last saw Steph:_

_ Ranger walked to the Cayenne and I could tell he was looking at me. When Lula tried to back away, I grabbed her arm and kept my head buried in her massive chest, crying like a baby. She patted my hair a couple of times. "Shh, shh, baby girl. It's okay."_

Ranger's presence was apparent by the Bulgari scent but also from the waves of _something_ emanating from him. If I had to guess, I would have said it was a combination of anger, relief and frustration. I knew that because Morelli claimed those were the main feelings he had when we were together.

Hal called Ranger from inside Sanders's house and I felt, rather than saw, him move away. Lula was still stroking my hair.

"Is he gone?"

"Huh?"

"Is he gone?"

"Yeah, he's over by the house."

Before Lula could react, I jumped out of the Cayenne and behind the steering wheel of her Firebird. The tires squealed as I pulled away. In the rear view mirror I could see Lula waving her arms, Ranger staring impassively and Morelli smiling broadly.

Damn, I never realized how hard it was to drive using my left foot. I was amazed when I made it to the bonds office without causing an accident. I angled the car on Hamilton and hobbled to the door. Connie was sitting in her usual spot and she gave a start when I stumbled through.

"Steph. What in the hell-?"

"Hide me. You have to hide me."

The door to Vinnie's office opened and he looked out. "Well, well, look who's here. Are you planning to get back to work anytime soon?"

I hopped over to Vinnie and practically lifted him off his feet by the front of his shirt. "Don't fuck with me, Vinnie, or I'll tell your wife how Joyce has you barking like a dog three times a week. Let me in here." I pushed him backwards and slammed the door behind us.

Vinnie must have hidden another bug in the outer office because I could hear every word when Lula ran in. "Oh, thank God, my baby is here. Where is Steph? Ranger is…"

Before she could finish, I heard the door open again. There was utter silence and I knew Ranger was out there.

"Babe."

Vinnie's office door is reinforced but I still backed away when I heard footsteps stop on the other side. Vinnie, the rat bastard, flipped the lock open and turned the handle. Ranger stopped on the threshold and stood there with an intense look on his face.

"Let's go, Babe."

"Umm, no, I don't think so."

He took one step toward me. I couldn't go anywhere so I just looked at him apprehensively. I thought about crying again but it took me too long to force the tears to my eyes.

"Crocodile tears won't work this time."

I let my bottom lip tremble a little and saw his eyes darken. Okay…something to work with. Before I could decide where to go from there, he took three long strides, bent and lifted me over his shoulder and carried me back through the outer office.

Connie and Lula watched with wide eyes as he headed outside. I lifted my head and whispered, "Help." They waved and fanned themselves and I gave Vinnie the finger when he started laughing.

Ranger opened the passenger door of the Cayenne and sat me none too gently in the seat. "Don't. Move."

I peeked over at him as he was moving through the traffic. He was staring straight ahead, and if I didn't know better, I would have believed all of his attention was on the traffic before him.

"Ranger?"

He didn't even look at me. "Babe." It sounded like a warning. I opened my mouth to keep going and only then did he turn his head to glance my way. Huh, turns out it was a warning. Good to know.

So, once again, we lasted an entire ride to Haywood and trip to the 7th floor without speaking a word.

Ranger very calmly closed the door to the apartment and leaned against it, watching me with hooded eyes as I nervously limped around the couch and lowered my weary body.

"You okay?"

I exhaled in a rush and nodded. "Can I say something before you start yelling at me?"

"Babe, I don't yell at you."

"Well, I thought you might this time. I would deserve it. I shouldn't have started fires, I shouldn't have zapped Hal, I shouldn't have gone to Dave Sanders's house and I should have never, ever, put you in the position of having to kill for me. Again." I hiccupped as real tears rolled down my cheeks. "All I do is cause you trouble."

Ranger sat down beside me on the couch and took my hand in his. He lifted my palm to his mouth and planted a soft kiss. "I will kill anyone…_anyone_, any time, any place, who threatens you. What don't you get here, Stephanie?"

Stephanie? Not Babe?

"I, Carlos Ricardo Manoso, love you, Stephanie Michelle Plum."

"In your own way?" Yeah, I was sobbing by this time.

"In every way."

We had a long talk that night and then we made slow, passionate, incredible love. There's just something about being with someone that you love and who you know loves you that makes the sex act something so much more.

Turns out Dave Sanders had been leaving creepy love letters and tokens of his affection at my apartment. Tank found them when he went every day when he went to check on things there. He took them straight to Ranger and the entire group of Merry Men had been spending days trying to figure out who was behind them. Ranger knew I was too antsy to stay put for long and that was what he meant when he said he couldn't keep me here much longer. I never saw the letters but apparently the last one spoke of killing me so no one else would have me.

Thank God Lula has a big mouth. When Tank showed up at her house in the middle of the night, worried sick about my safety, she spilled her guts. Tank called Ranger and Ranger gathered his crew and they mobilized to Sanders's house. They had it under surveillance and as soon as dawn broke, they decided to make a move.

Ranger confessed his heart jumped in his chest when he saw me standing there in his gun sights. And when Sanders held the knife to my face, in Ranger's eyes, he lost his right to live. I decided I never wanted to get on Ranger's bad side.

Morelli shook Ranger's hand and wished him luck as they watched me speed away in Lula's Firebird.


End file.
